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Because it’s important to be a conscious blogger, I do want to point out that this blog post has the potential to be triggering for anyone struggling with an ED. Please, read at your own discretion.

This past weekend I had the awesome pleasure of trying out SUP Yoga (stand up paddleboard yoga), which is all the rage at yoga festivals that are way outside my budget. Thanks to the generosity of a woman in our class, and the Burlington Community Sailing Center, 20 of us yogis and yoginis took to Lake Champlain with giddy ambitions.

Getting my sea legs!

Not impressed with warriors one bit!

Headstand felt surprisingly balanced, as well as bridge. Warrior 2, not usually thought of as a difficult posture, sent many of us flailing into the refreshing waters. Om, shanti, shanti. Om, humility, humility. It was great fun. I learned, that day, the value of staying firmly rooted in the middle of the paddleboard, lest I pop a sweet endo or look like some 18th century helpless girl getting thrown off a horse. The center is safe and seemingly monotonous. Sometimes we have to scurry, tip-toe, or tumble onto the other sides to remind ourselves how awesome stability is! These past few week’s stress and circumstances have taken my body all over the place, and although I wasn’t happy with myself at the time, I did learn a lot about what makes me confident, healthy, and happy.

While being short does give me the luxury of going to basement parties and not hitting my head on the ceiling, makes it easier for me to date more men (and wear heels while doing it!), and ensures that air travel is a tad more comfortable, it does not leave room for over indulgence or error (kind of like an American Apparel dress…) As my friend so awesomely put it, there is less length for me to hide the pounds. Someone 5’8 can gain a pound, several pounds, before anyone notices. I gain a pound and it looks like I’ve packed on 10. However, the same thing is true in the other direction. I loose a pound and I look like I’ve been hitting the gym hard (and we all know I just don’t work out…)

A few weeks ago I was coming off humiliation that made me want to devour everything in the world. Bacon, coconut-chocolate ice cream, chocolate sauce, and peanut butter were not safe for a few days. They shook in the cupboard waiting for the sweat-pant wearing, hadn’t showered in days (sexy, right?) monster to amble into the kitchen and shove a big spoon into them. Oh, the horror. I looked in the mirror after 3 days of body punishing. What I saw disgusted me. If you are gaining weight while eating a healthy diet and exercising, then you are probably meant to. And although I smelled like I had been working out, I certainly wasn’t hitting the weights or eating anything of proper nutrition. I was mad at myself for doing this to myself. Over indulgence and a bit of self-hate had gotten the best of me and I felt like a frump-o-potamus.

What quickly followed the next week was a mixture of getting sick (no one likes eating when they’re sick) and having to go home for a few days to get my car looked at. For many people going home means parents buying food and a fridge full of goodies. Going home for me is essentially accepted starvation. Yes, I could have gone grocery shopping myself, but I was mule stubborn and insanely broke. Scheduling a detox was out of the question, as my siblings generally like to take me out for drinks and heavy food. After the 4 eggs vanished, I subsided off of gelato, frozen fruit bars, a few slices of bacon here and there, and sheer determination. By day 4 I was picking fights with my parents. Hungry Jocellyn is not a happy Jocellyn.

When done properly, fasting (either on water or fresh juice) doesn’t necessarily mean you balloon out after it is over. If you slowly reintroduce foods back into your diet, all will not be in vain (though I’m a firm believer that fasting should come from a place of relaxation and ‘reset’, not trying to loose weight). However, what I was doing was not fasting, per say. It was starvation and whenever I gave myself food at random times, it was generally unhealthy and too much. My body held onto what ever I gave it with a grip that would make super villain Bane totally envious (yes I deffs saw The Dark Knight Rises last night, and I’m still geeking out!!!!) Despite only eating a handful of times when I was at home, I left looking like a black Buddha, sans cheerful smile. And when I got back to Burlington at 1am (so I could make the SUP Yoga class—check the determination!) I didn’t have time to eat a lot or even energy to prepare food. Everything was so much harder. My stomach receded, pulling in tight to show definition I rarely see. For a few minutes I looked good. Damn good. And then I didn’t feel so great about it all. How could I feel good about these flat abs that I didn’t earn through diet and exercise? I mean, how often do you say no to a flat stomach? Well, you should if you didn’t get there by healthy means! Not to mention I was a starvin’ marvin’. Whoever said “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” was wrong for so many reasons.

Over indulgence can cause our body to undertake a form that makes us self-conscious. But sometimes when we reach what we think our “ideal” form should be, we have to stop and ask ourselves if “there” is where we really want to be—and if you got there properly then revel in your bad self, but if you didn’t, or you’re just plain unhappy, then dial it back a bit. You’d be surprised how close the middle is to where you want. I’m excited to return to the happy middle, where my taste buds are satisfied just so and I feel comfortable with my body. Sometimes we have to teeter-totter to remind ourselves that it ain’t really that bad.

So, I was working at Goodwill (as per usual) and these three really attractive, culturally diverse frat boys came in looking for clothes. One was black, one was Hispanic, and one was white (I swear, they must have been a Public Service Announcement for encouraging ethnic integration into Kappa-Sigma-Phi-Epsilon-Gamma-Gamma-Beta.) Unfortunately, they weren’t very bright and I had to point them to their section, as they were aimlessly wandering around in women’s T-shirts, not quite sure how to get to where they needed to be.

Anyway, they come up to the register and it goes something like this:

“Do you guys go to you UVM?”

“No, we’re grads”

“Oh, I was just wondering because tonight is the naked bike ride!”

“Oh really?”

(Me realizing it sort of sounds like I’m mad macking on them and encouraging them to watch me run around with my bits all out) “Oh, um, yeah…A lot of people have been in today talking about it!”

“Oh, so…they were buying clothes for this naked event?”

“Oh, um…ehhh. Probably just for some party afterward!”

As every teenage girl says in those poignant coming of age books: “I was MORTIFIED!”

But yes, the naked mile and naked bike ride are two pretty popular events at UVM where people, well, get naked and run around. I personally would be partial to the naked bike ride, because something tells me 36D’s+running+no sports bra= a world of pain. I was driving home with a friend when suddenly these girls crossed in front of us in towels with their cheekies hanging out. I gave them several triumphant toots of the horn and they cheered back. Then I saw some girls, boobs out and everything, getting onto their really nice road bikes and biking away. The only complaint I heard was from one very naked girl saying how much she hated biking uphill. There was no shrinking behind towels or complaining of cellulite. There was just laughter. True, I’m sure it took a few shots of liquid courage to get most people out the door, and who can blame them, but I admired all those people running around in their birthday suits. Hell, as we were walking back I almost stripped off my skirt and shirt to join them!

I think if people saw each other naked more often we’d all have a lot less insecurity problems off our own. And it’s not to say that you would look at someone and go “psh, my ____ is better than hers/his”, but that you would see the variety in bodies. Maybe your nipples wouldn’t seem so weird, or your butt so saggy, or your stomach that weird looking, etc. etc.

Sadly, you probably don’t live in an area where there is a bi-annual naked run to creep on participate in.

Warning there is nudity, sometimes full frontal, but nothing hardcore pornographic. It’s kind of got a hipster-vibe, but you’ll see a variety of bodies, and most of them aren’t posed overly sexual. It’s like, hey, I’m naked and in the kitchen!

*Guys, I’m sorry I cannot find an equivalent male site, but if a reader knows of one then put the link in the comment box!

So you have coconut water, water kefir, dairy kefir, kombucha, pure acai juice, fresh pressed vegetable juice, green smoothies, etcetera, etc. I’m not going to lie, I love the occasional kombucha, and I’m having a love affair with my juicer (sorry blender), but the real “super drink” you should be swallowing is much cheaper and easier to find. Yup, it’s good old water.

Water is absolutely amazing. It detoxes the body, makes your hair, nails and skin look fabulous, and nourishes cells. I mean, there is a reason you can go without food for weeks, but you cannot go without water for more than a few days. But, allow me to get off my soap box. I admit drinking water can take some getting used to. Compared to all the fun flavored drinks we are surrounded by, water can seem a little ho-hum. So, I’m going to give everyone—ladies and gents—a purely vanity based reason to start chugging the clear stuff, because sometimes it’s the fear of looking bad that lights said fire under one’s cheekies.

Sick and tired of feeling bloated and paunchy? Ladies, want to see a defined waist that you are proud to swivel around at the beach in your itty-bitty, insanely overpriced bikini? Drink. Your. Water!

Okay, so bloating sucks, and before I started eating healthier I feel like I was in a constant state of bloat, carrying around a food baby that never seemed to go away. True, I think some of it had to do with the inflammation from eating all that wheat my body so greatly detested, but a lot of it had to do with eating really salty foods. Your body loves to retain salt. When you eat too much salt and not enough water you throw off a crucial balance. So, if you don’t drink enough water, when you do your body is going to grab onto it and not let it go! To counter that, despite seeming counterintuitive, drink more water! You’ll start flushing out toxins and sodium (hit the road bloat!) and your body won’t be so fearful (source).

Want proof? Okay, I have no photo evidence, so you’re just going to have to take my word for it: these past three days I’ve been drinking a lot of water and have slowly noticed my waist line moving in to create a mini-hour glass shape. This is good, because I have an insane aversion to sit-ups! Isn’t it amazing how simply drinking a little more water can cause such immediate effects?! The way you treat your insides will reflect on your outside. Lemme be blunt: eat like crap and you’re going to look like crap.

A refreshing morning pick-me-up

How does one take drinking water from being a healthy chore to a delicious, healthy chore? Easy, add some flavor! And I’m not taking about Crystal Light flavoring or that Mio junk. Think citrus. Go out and buy some lemons. Make four slices and pop it into a mason jar. The one I use is 24 ounces, so adjust accordingly. Add some filtered water and let it sit for about 10 minutes. By then you’ll have some lightly infused water that tastes great. Sip mindfully throughout the day. (I also know people who use limes or cucumbers, so try out different things!)

Check out this link for the amazing benefits of lemon water; I was truly shocked!

Things to watch out for:

Lemon water is acidic and can soften the enamel on your teeth. If this is something you think you’ll be doing on a regular basis, plunk down $2 on 100 straws and save your pearly whites. Also, don’t brush your teeth immediately afterward, because your teeth haven’t harden again. I think the benefits of drinking water this way far outweigh the cons, so just take the cheap, preventative measures.

It can be really tempting to jump on the food-rage bandwagon, and a lot of the drinks mentioned above do have great benefits. But sometimes we need to look for simplicity as we strive towards a healthier lifestyle!

Yesterday at work I was cashing this woman out and she couldn’t stop gushing about my skin. Cocky much, but I get this quite often. What can I say—mamma and daddy gave me good complexion genes! However, my skin has gotten so much better ever since I started going sans chemicals. A few months back I wrote about how I ditched my chemical laden moisturizer, instead opting for some coconut oil. I still felt I needed something more and tried to make a homemade cleanser, but realized I didn’t love the consistency and how often I would have to make it. What was I to do? Well, I thought back to my slumber party days in elementary school when us lil’ ladies used to make masks with oatmeal and honey. Was it so 10 year old kitsch that I couldn’t apply (pardon the pun) it in my 20s? Of course not! So, I went to work Youtubing and Googling until I found exactly what I was looking for: a super basic oatmeal cleanser.

Check out this quick 4 minute clip by the insanely adorable Bubzbeauty! She’ll explain all the good-for you chemicals found in oatmeal.

I would make a slight change to how she washes her face, and this is especially crucial for anyone living in a place with old piping. See if you can get your hands on a really cheap food processor or even a coffee grinder. Dump a handful or two of oatmeal into it and blend away. The smaller pieces can go down the drain without worry of clogging, and you’ll still get the great exfoliating benefits. I store mine in this cute little honey jar. A little goes a long way—it takes about a month for me and Chris to go through it all. Not only do you not have to worry about storing it, but you won’t have to make a new batch every week (not that it takes more than a minute!) Just think, you’re paying a few dollars for close to a year’s worth of product!

The oatmeal, unlike the coconut oil, is perfect for every skin type. I hardly break out, and when I do the zits are a lot easier to take care of (I know, popping is wrong…but it happens!) Your face will go through a few ups and downs the first month you use it. Your skin is going “where are all the chemicals?!” and essentially detoxing. I beg of you to push through this period, as you would the awkward phase of a new haircut. Once you come out the other side your skin will be amazingly soft and clear! I’ve been “reviewing” this new facial lifestyle since January, and I’ve got to say I love the results. Just as it matters what you put into your body, it matters what you put onto it as well. Minimally processed is the way to go, and you cannot get more minimal than this.

A few months back I also finished up my Clearasil cleansing pads, and I have been going without a toner for quite some time. I wanted something that was gentle, easy to make, and could be stored for more than week. So, this morning I decided to try out a green tea and lemon toner. I boiled a green tea bag in a cup of water for five minutes. While that was bubbling away, I cut and juiced a lemon that was getting a little old. It’s currently cooling in the fridge. I’ll use it religiously this week and give a mini-review next Saturday!

I love the looks when people ask me what I do to keep my skin so wonderful, as I’m sure they expect me to mention this really expensive cleanser you can only get from some obscure company. Nope, just some good old Quaker Oats, a little bit of organic coconut oil, and (soon) some lemon and green tea toner. When you stop bombarding your body with all these different chemicals, it really starts to thrive.

My name is Jocellyn and I’m a pink-o-holic…. But really, for all the time I spend professing my love for darks and neutrals*, I cannot deny that I occasionally indulge in my pink side. For example, I have two other dresses in this same-ish color, which is weird, because I wouldn’t classify myself as an “I love pink” kind of girl. Regardless, I won’t agonize over it because I look pretty spiffy if I do say so myself!

So what inspired this positively colorful outfit? An unnaturally warm 87 degree day! For starters, I love the cut of this dress; a little shorter in the back and a little longer in the front. How a piece of clothing is cut is of the utmost importance. Whether you’re second-handing your closet or plunking down some serious dough on designer labels, if the cut isn’t there you won’t look a million buckaroos.

A belt is a must with a dress this cut, lest we ladies want to look like we’re sporting a baby bump! In the spirit of the spring day I left my brown belt in the closet and whipped out this mint green number I got back in high school. You know those purchases where you’re like “I’m not sure I’ll love it now, but I’ll definitely use it later,”? Yeah, make those purchases and smile a few months or years from now. What really pulled this whole outfit together was a scarf.

Chris’s mom got me this one and another from The Gap last year. Scarves like this should be worn down, like long luxurious hair.

I whip my hair back and forth!

But, but, but, they can be easily wrapped up for when you’re trying to hustle somewhere and don’t want it to get caught on something. You can do a basic wrap– like the first photo– or like the one below, which pumps up the volume.

If there is one wrap I’m not fond it, it would be the girth hitch. That’s when you take a scarf and fold it in half. The half with the loop goes on one side of your neck and the loose ends go on the other. You then shoot the loose ends though the hoop and tug it tightly around your neck. IMHO, it makes a gal (or guy) look like they’re off to hang themselves. But, to each their own!

Black and bright pink are on two different ends of the color spectrum, but it can take guts of steel to pull them off. Hold your head high and strut the streets in all your fashionable fabulousness.

Peel Away ❤

Jocellyn

*No worries, I haven’t forgotten my neutral roots. I wore this the next day 😉

Bear with me, folks. This site is getting a much needed face lift. In my portfolio class we were complimenting and critiquing people’s WordPress blogs, and in the process I learned so much about this site. Gosh, I feel like a little 80 year old granny when it comes to this platform. Since I’ve now figured out how to add additional tabs up top (amateur hour, I know), I’m even more excited to grow the fashion side of this blog because it’ll have its own special spot. So, speaking of fashion, I have a fabulous new outfit to show off. And my Picasa finally updated itself and I got all these crazy new filters to play around with. Clearly, I’ve been living in the technological stone age :-\

I’ve been wanting this really awesome coral-pink top at work. It’s a size 3x (22 plus) and I was waiting for it to go on sale so I could a.) Buy it for $1.75 b.) Give someone that size ample time to snag it (we don’t have to many plus size tops.) I moved in like a hungry shark the last day it was on sale.

For one, I love the color. People always tell me how lucky I am to have dark skin because most colors look great on me (FYI: I cannot, however, rock brown or moss green), but I generally stick to my neutral. The top was calling me, for some unbeknownst reason. I’m glad you called, lady, I’m glad you called.

It can be really difficult to find a baggy top. Generally, for it to look good, you need to buy a baggy top that is designed for someone your size. Sometimes, luck is on my side!

And from behind! Since I’m wearing a loose top, I of course have to balance out the bottom with something tight.

This top makes me wanna rock out!

How awesome are those sleeves?! They make me feel bad ass. Like, ‘Imma mess you up’ bad ass!

The final test of a great outfit: Can I pull off some yoga asana whenever my back feels the need to bend? This outfit gets two thumbs up!

And finally, my other awesome set of mala. These, I admit, I did not make. I saw them at Goodwill. I feel like whoever had them before had some potent, amazing energy.

Spring is officially here. Summer is biting at our ankles. Time to whip out those fun colors!

Suns out Buns out: a cute, kitschy phrase I’ve put on Facebook the past few years come the first reallllll nice day of spring. This past weekend I hit up Lake Champlain with some friends to bake in the sun. Clearly, I’m the pastiest of the bunch and was in dire need of some vitamin D 😉 Jokes, jokes. Looking back at the photos, I realized how relaxed I was compared to every prior summer when it was time to don a bathing suit. I wouldn’t say I’m a girl who’s in constant battle with her body, but the few insecurities I used to have are beginning to fade away. In the past I used to rely on ‘the girls’ to get me through the summer afternoons. However, boobies are all genetics and nothing to be terribly proud of; it’s not like you gain any size by logging in hours at the gym (if so then I must be getting slipped some mean ‘roids.) Instead, I was confident in my arm muscles that I can thank yoga and sporadic push-ups for. My legs I owe to the beastly hill I have to climb every day, and the many hours a week I spend scurrying around at the Goodwill. And even though my stomach isn’t rock solid, being forced to rid myself of gluten (and with that a lot of processed foods) has eliminated the bloat that used to plague me. It’s a great feeling to see yourself heading in a positive, physical direction because of the work you’ve put in. Your mamma and daddy’s genes will only get you so far.

And with this change I’ve noticed, I also look at other women in a healthier manner. Instead of being jealous of someone with a naturally thin waist, I’m more apt to go “damnnnnn” when I see a girl who has powerful, sculpted thighs from running up all the hills Burlington has to offer. Or I admire the woman I see in yoga class who has insane back muscles from years of a dedicated Ashtanga practice. That’s not to say it’s bad to be born naturally thin, or naturally flexible, or naturally whatever, but I think there is a lot to be admired about someone who has made changes ranging from minor edits to massive transformation in a healthy and practical way.

The first sunny days are when people start to realize they’ll be spending ample time in minimal clothing—no more winter boots and layers to cover yourself up in– and lot of magazines will be pumping out “Best Summer Body EVER!!!!” articles. Unfortunately, it can be very hard to summon up a healthy mindset in 2 months that will carry you through the summer. A lot of people will immediately try to go from a pizza lifestyle to no refined this, no sugar that, no white anything in one day and burn themselves out before the end of May. Truthfully, this process should take months to let your body slowly adjust to the changes of diet and the added stress of exercising, which will help keep you from falling back into your old habits; I often have to remind myself that it has taken me nearly 15 months to reach this diet high in fruits, vegetables, some meats, and minimally processed foods. However, there are some steps you can take. They might not get your dream body, or best body EVERRR by June, but you’ll be much healthier and you will see changes.

Diet: You know I’m a firm believer in the importance of diet when it comes to how your outsides look.

1.) Start incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your life.

2.) Start a eating a HEALTHY salad 3-5 days out of the week. Check out this older post on the art of salad making.

3.) Start to limit your alcohol intake. Heavy drinkers will be surprised how much weight they’ll lose if they stop hitting the bottle hard on a regular basis

4.) Drink more water! For the most part we’re always in a constant state of dehydration, and we’ll often mistake thirst for hunger!

2.) Start by working out 2-3 times a week. It may seem “pathetic” to not be in the gym ever day, but it will disheartening if you start out saying you’ll go 5 days a week and never making it there.

3.) For the college student, HIIT (high intensity interval training) is a great method because it doesn’t take hours. It involves a mixture of cardio and weight bearing routines, so you’ll be doing double duty.

5.) Here are some of my favorite sites: Blogilates, ZuzkaLight (I’ve moved on from Body Rock, since I didn’t like the direction it was going, but the BR website does still feature Zuzana’s older videos), and Random Abs.

These habits shouldn’t just be whipped out when you have to pull on a pair of swim trunks or bikini bottoms. They should be with you during fall and winter as well. And remember, even if you had the hottest body in the world, there are still going to be people who’ll find something negative to point out, so get healthy for yourself. And to be honest, not everyone is going to be looking at you at the beach. They’ll be playing football, and reading magazines, and trying to get all their bits back into their bathing suits when a big wave totally owns them out of nowhere. Your confidence is what will shine through, and you’ll be able to spend the day actually having fun instead of worrying about your body.

I’ve come to terms with my quads, I enjoy squeezing my arms which have developed thanks to yoga, and during the Summer I often distract myself by playing with the bulge on my flexed calf. But there is an area I’m always a tad weary about. It’s my stomach. It is where I tend to store extra fat. I’m kind of a dude, actually, since women have a greater tendency to accumulate excess fat around their hips, thighs, and butt; Dear god, for once can’t that extra slice of cake go to my butt cheekies? Alas. In fact, I get a little neurotic about my stomach area. Most days I do the whole bit where I stand in front of the mirror, pinch, and frown, turn to the side, and pinch again. Chris, being the dutiful boyfriend he is, will comment that he loves me no matter what, but it still doesn’t take away the concerns, which stem not only from aesthetic consideration, but also health factors. Unfortunately, where you hold your fat matters, and stomach fat can cause a whole mess of maladies.

Let’s break down the two layers of fat. The first is subcutaneous fat, which is just below the skin. Subcutaneous fat is the kind of fat people dislike for vanity reasons. But the fat doesn’t stop there. Moving into further layers of skin we reach visceral fat. Ew, it’s a word that sounds so similar to gristle (and it’s not to far off.) And believe me, visceral fat should make you go “ewww” and “ahhh!” Visceral fat hugs your organs. And this isn’t a loving kind of hug. It’s the type of hug your big brother will give you that crushes your bones. It can affect your cholesterol levels and raise your blood pressure. Here are some of the other negative side effects excessive visceral fat can have on your body:

It gets a little trickier. Just like I discussed Skinny Fat several blog posts ago, sedentary men and women who are naturally thin may also be at risk of carrying visceral fat. Because it’s not as apparent as someone with a “beer belly”, a thin person wouldn’t know they carried any unless they were to undergo a high-tech MRI. But why go spend the money when you can realistically audit yourself with a few simple questions. Do I work out regularly? Do I eat healthy food? Do I practice portion control? If you don’t do any of the above and do fill yourself with greasy foods more than fruits, vegetables, etc., then there is a good chance you might carry some visceral fat. No more playing out of sight-out of mind!

Thankfully this post isn’t all doom and gloom. Like most diet related health issues, they can corrected with time and patience. For one, practice portion control. This is much easier to do if you are able to cook your own meals or chose the food you eat at a dining hall rather than eating out a restaurant; don’t you just hate how the meals are too big for one sitting, but are two little if cut in half? Conspiracy, I tell ya!

Here is a good way to portion control your meals for your body size, because you use your own hand as a “yard stick.”

The next thing you need to do is get off your lovely behind and start working out. Sigh, this goes for me as well… I feel as if this goes without saying, but don’t, don’t, don’t for the love of all things common sense crash diet. In fact, studies have shown that crash dieting can encourage visceral fat. Exercise smart. If you feel that you really need to work on that area you have to push a little harder than someone who wants to maintain. Walking briskly and worth purpose (no feet dragging here!) for 30 minutes, six times a week will help stave of accumulation. Bring that walk to a jog, start lifting weights, and/or try out some HIIT and you’ll blast that gunk away! And there are so many YouTube trainers out there with certifications and free workouts, so there’s no need to plunk down dollar bills on a gym membership. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to lose my stomach fat for vanity reasons. But at the same time I realize exercising and dieting in a safe, slow, and appropriate manner will also keep my unseen organs healthy, which is what really counts.

Peel Away ❤

Jocellyn

Look what I did last night! One giant step for me;one dying breath for visceral fat kind!

I just watched this video this morning, and apparently it has been making rounds in the yoga world. A lot of yoginis are up in arms about it, saying it objectifies women. There where the obvious arguments that it was using sex to sell. I personally think the person shooting avoided a lot of obvious crotch shots, and the few butt-cheek ones didn’t bother me. The difference between sensuality and sexuality is a fine line. There were arguments that the disheveled bed with a male in it suggested something lewd. Okay, I’m totally whistle-blowing that one. In case you haven’t slept with someone, the bed sheets are going to be messed up regardless of frisky business or restless nights. Sheets are not designed in a way that both can be satisfied!; Alas. Many of the opinions are valid, aside from the sheet one, but in all honesty I like this video more than the more recent Yoga Body Calendars by Jasper Johal. A little back info: before his yoga shots only featured a few bare breasts. Now practically all are pushed out for view, except for the famous Kathryn Budig’s. I think the female body is a wonderful thing. I think the male body is a wonderful thing. But, like everyone, I have my opinions of when someone is trying to make an extra buck by selling sex. When I think of what makes a yoga body powerful I think of muscles. Breasts kind of just hang there. It bothers me a little, but not enough to make me stand up and shout, and frankly not everything has to. Indifference is often touted as laziness, but at times it’s a perfectly fine emotion. What are your thoughts? PS: I really do love the rest of his work, just not that “stuff.”

For me this came across as a fine example of a super strong and beautiful practice. It did, however, make me envious in a few ways.

1.) Envious that I don’t have a dedicated morning practice– I’m working on that this week!

2. ) Envious that my apartment isn’t that nice– Some day I’ll go J.K Rowling with a book and have a nice New York apartment 😉

There, I came up with a much better name for the poorly titled blog post: mirror, mirror; touch my body; move it. I wouldn’t say it’s up there with Eat. Pray. Love, but I’m making small gains.

Today’s topic is all about healthy vanity and getting off the couch. Here’s a little back story. When I was 14 months old I was adopted from Haiti by a white family from a very white area. I think there may have been one other black girl, so from day one my parents have always doted over me. I admit that I was a damn cute baby—diaper ad baby cute—and adorable young one, so I’m sure my parents and peoples’ kind words weren’t lies, but I think being the only black girl encouraged them to make sure I knew I was beautiful, as I had no one else to really look up too. That being said, it was probably the catalyst to my vanity. I adored looking in mirrors when I was younger, and it is habit that I’ve carried into adult hood (it has slowed down the past few years.) But I believe it is something we should all do more of!

Typically, when we have body issues we avoid looking at ourselves and wear baggy shirts and pants to cover our insecurities. Ladies and gents, I encourage you to take off your clothes—even your skivvies—and look at yourself naked. Get to know your body: the places you dip, curve, bulge, pucker, or are bony. I guarantee you’ll find parts, possibly quirky ones, you absolutely adore. It’s kind of clichéd, but I think being naked is one of the most fabulous things, and if you’re lucky enough to be rooming with a boyfriend/girlfriend, or have a single dorm room, then take advantage of it! On the flip side, you’ll also find places you don’t like, but you may make peace with them. I have 2 examples. For one I hated my breasts. Since age 7 I used to pray for boobs and one year it was as if the god (and you know how I love my various gods) of titties came down and was all “allakabam!” By high school I was a solid D; bathing suit shopping was– and still is– a nightmare. And for many big breasted women, you can probably agree with me that most big breasts are not like silicon enhanced ones. I’m not super saggy, but I wouldn’t say any porn agency would be casting me for “Huge, Perfect Melons 4—Grocery Adventures” But guess what: the more I started forcing myself to look at them the more I accepted their shape and realized they were fine. The same thing happened with this cellulite dimple I had. I used to hate it, but I realized that no matter how healthy I am it’ll always be there chilling on my left thigh, and I kind of like it.

Step two. Make like a body builder and touch your body. Flex your arm muscles, wimpy or bulbous, and see how they feel. Squeeze your calves. Feel your cheekies. Rub your tummy—trust me, it ain’t my favorite spot either, but looking and it and touching it has made me realize what diet and exercise habits change it negatively and positively. We’re tactile creatures, right?

Step three. Move your body. I’m talking about getting up and dancing. Try out different activities and figure out what ones work the best for your body type. Running is out of the question for me. I feel like a wheezing oaf and my knees constantly ache, but dancing and yoga class feel natural. So what if you have two left feet—experiment with swimming; have you ever heard of someone tripping while swimming? I personally think everyone should try hula hooping. You’ll certainly learn how to move that body and get a surprising cardio workout! Check out Sharna Rose, a hoop celebrity. She’s kinda amazing.

Me hooping in 2010 during my raver days

Learn to love the little (or big) things about yourself. I get that we all go through small phases of hating our body, but try not to let it affect you for a long time. Are you upset because you’ve gained a few pounds? If you know your body well (and can be honest with your habits) maybe you are meant to put on a bit of weight. But if you know you have been slacking on your care then turn that discouragement into fuel to eat better or workout a little harder. There is definitely a sense of pride in understanding your body. It’s the one thing we are stuck with for the rest of our lives, so I think we should owe it to ourselves to rise above hating it.